Foreshadow
by Feilyn
Summary: Before Karin died, she and Toshiro were lovers. This is not the beginning, it is merely one of many thoughout their history. Part of the Lost And Found series.


_Calendar, this is for you!_

_She was the lucky fifth reviewer for chapter 17 of my story The Stage and requested a Toshiro/Karin fic before Karin died in my Lost And Found series (dw if you haven't read it, she's dead when it starts)._

_So, Calendar I hope this is what you wanted and to everyone else, hope you enjoy! _

xXx

He watched the sunset and scowled, turning over a small package in his fingers.

This was stupid.

"You again," he said, not turning.

"What are you doing, Tōshirō?"

"It's Hitsu—"

She punched him lightly on the shoulder before sitting on the barrier next to him. "Ah, don't give me that crap, Tōshirō. I haven't called you that in years."

"Not for lack of trying on my part."

"Psht." She looked at him sideways. "What have you been up to?"

He grunted. "Paperwork."

"Isn't Rangiku – oh. Yeah. I can see why that would keep you busy. But, um…for three years, Tōshirō?"

"The war messed things up."

"The war ended almost seven years ago."

"The paperwork didn't."

She sighed, pulling the end of her ragged braid over her shoulder and inspecting the ends. "Eh, guess that's what I get for falling in love with a big-shot taichō from the Gotei Thirteen."

He jerked. "Karin—"

"It's my birthday today," she interrupted brightly, unsnapping her hair-tie and running her fingers through the heavy black locks once or twice. "My eighteenth. You didn't mention it."

"I know."

"The old goat gave me lingerie. He's so gross, it doesn't even fit. Yuzu bought me...Hold on a sec." She rummaged around in the pocket of her shorts.

He decided that they were entirely _too_ short for someone of her age to be wearing and lied to himself about just how much he appreciated them.

"Ah, here it is." She held a necklace up by its chain. The pendent sparkled pink in the air. "She's got the other half. It's a bit cutesy for me, but I'll wear it because she wants me to. Oh, and Ichi-nii! He's up visiting Rukia-nee-chan right now, but he told Yuzu to give me his present and it was _beautiful_. A real katana you wouldn't believe! Actually, all things considered, you probably would. And the boys took me out for—"

"Here." He thrust out the package he'd been holding, not looking at her. "I, um…happy birthday."

Silence

The package was plucked gently from his fingers and the soft knock of her fist on his chin turn his face back to hers. Her lips were twisted sideways in a half-smile, half-grimace and she looked up at the sky from the corner of her eyes. He struggled not to be distracted by her dark wealth of hair spilling over her shoulder. It didn't look like she'd cut it in the three years he'd been absent.

She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. He struggled against himself not to turn bright red.

"Thanks, Tōshirō."

He looked at the ground, cursing his body. His cheeks were flaming. "You haven't opened it yet," he mumbled.

At least she looked a little flushed as well. "It's not pink, is it?"

"No."

"Then I'll love it." She held out the necklace her sister gave her and wrinkled her nose before attacking his present.

More silence as she pulled it out of the wrapping and stared at it.

"Th-this…" She looked up at him, eyes shining with too many emotions. "Tōshirō."

He coughed, feeling ten times more awkward than he knew he looked. "That packet there, it's a course of pills Urahara designed especially for you at my request. Y-your headaches, when there's a Hollow near. I know how bad they get, this should stop them without diminishing your capacity to sense Hollows."

"Tōshirō—"

"And if they work wrong, just get your brother to pass on a message and I'll kill Urahara for you."

"Tōshirō."

He remained silent.

"This badge. Is it – it looks like Ichi-nii's."

"That's because it does the same thing his one does. Separates your soul from your body and you are to _only_ use it in case of emergency."

She looked down at the badge and then smirked up at him. "They don't know you did this, do they?"

He coughed. "Ukitake-taichō knows. He made it. But it's best to keep silent about it, yes. I just – you're stronger out of your body and Urahara can only supply so much under-the-counter Soul Candy."

She wrinkled her nose. "He only does Chappy now. You have no idea how it is to look at your body possessed by a demented rabbit."

He thought back on the many, many times Matsumoto had force-fed him Chappy Soul Candy. "No, I don't. But this should save you from the horror." He stood. "I should go now. Urahara has the senkaimon set up. I need to get back."

She looked at him suspiciously. "How did you know I was going to be coming by here?"

He looked her in the eye, thankful that after a three year separation he could actually do that without standing on his toes. "Because you said you would."

She flushed a dark red, obviously remembering the last time he left. They'd both done embarrassing things then.

He began to walk away.

"Tōshirō."

He turned back. "Karin."

She paused, licking her lips nervously. "Come back."

"I will."

He started walking again, but this time she tagged his arm and pulled him back. Next thing he knew, she'd kissed him.

It would name him a liar, saying he didn't enjoy is or kiss back. He _had_ said eighteen, after all. He just hadn't expected her to remember.

She pulled away. "Soon."

He touched her lips lightly with his. "Soon," he promised.

She grinned, fingers working to tie her hair back into its braid.

There was no good-bye, because he was coming back.

xXx

_That…wasn't a drabble. And I will be doing a prequel to this prequel of that meeting three years before._

_Hope you enjoyed, especially you Calendar!_


End file.
